Chichatravels / Mt. Hapunang Banoi and Mt. Pamitinan

 

"Mabato bes !" was the first thing that came to my mind whenever i recall my trip to Mt. Hapunang Banoi and Mt. Pamitinan. Haha literally mabato talaga sya like mas madami pa ata ang bouldering moments kesa sa trekking. But for me, those two mountains are my favorite so far. Sobrang enjoy lang and i feel like it was easier than my first hike at Mt. Sawi. 

 

It was my second hike and it was a very challenging hike for me. First of all it was so unplanned ! Haha. I was so depressed about my final grade that time and so devastated at how bad my hair color was. So yeah. Basically I was just wearing my denim jacket, shorts and my white converse. So now can you imagine na ba, bakit naging challenging sakin ang hike na to? Haha. 

We started our trek at 5:00 in the morning. I feel like we were ascending na agad kase the way was assaulted. A few trek and the path has a visible huge rocks na. The view was breathtaking! You can see enormous rocks piled against the mountains. I don't even feel any fear of heights because I'm too occupied na at how exquisite the view was. Then we reached the summit at exactly 8:38 am. 

The descending part at Mt. Hapunang Banoi was easy maybe because I like it when I'm traipsing over the rocks. (well I feel like an ninja haha) 

Then we ate at the Junction (an open type of kubo where there are bamboo seats and sari sari stores that offers beverages and trail foods. The junction is located at the middle part of the trail. Where Mt. Hapunang Banoi and Mt. Pamitinan's trails can be seen.) A few minutes after we finished our lunch, we headed na at Mt. Pamitinan. It was a short but difficult hike for me. Because kokonti lang talaga yung trekking part namin and the whole hike was bouldering na (rock climbing on boulders and large cliffs) It was my first time so I was so thrilled! I didn't expected it pa nga na matutuwa ako because of my fear of heights but yeah! I enjoyed it so much ! It's like an achievement for me and whenever I recall those moments, I am always overwhelmed with happiness. 

12:17 pm when reach the summit of Mt. Pamitinan. That's when I feel nauseas. I just can't handle the heights. Even now, just the thought of it makes me want to vomit! (But I am working on it naman na. Little by little macoconquer ko din yang fear of heights na yan. Abangan nyo na lang guys haha) 

So thats it! My super unplanned trip (as in pag katanong kung may slot pa, sakay na agad at go na agad to Rizal haha) Hope you like it guys ! Visit and experience the beauty of Mt. Hapunang Banoi and Mt. Pamitinan. Beginner ka man or Harkor (madami nang naakyat na mga mountains, easy lang ang mga minor climb, at madaming alam when it comes to mountaineering pero humble pa rin) na, it suits to everyone kering keri lang. And super affordable lang! Which reminds me...

Special thanks to Tiangala Traveller Philippines (Sir Erick) for their accommodating and super friendly service, kay ate Rhona who keeps on lifting my spirit whenever I feel tired and scared (mostly pag mag cross sa mga cliffs and holes haha), kay sir tourguide (sa Mt. Hapunang Banoi na isa rin sa super maka encourage sa akin mag pose sa cliff haha) kay Sir tourguide (na napaka galing umanggulo at mg stolen sa pag kuha ng pictures haha) at kay Sir diether na sweeper ( na nag pahiram sakin ng slippers when I couldn't walk na talaga because of my blisters sa feet) at sa lahat ng mga nakasama namin, Thank you so much po sa inyong lahat! 

 

 

Thoughts

#InsomiaFeels

On a night lit only by a slender peel of the moon

You were asleep and I'm trancing like a loon

How I wish I could dense these rays in my eyes

For me to dream as pacific as a lamb.

chichatravels/ Batanes of the East

Dingalan, Aurora

(Batanes of the East)

1 hour and 16 minutes from Nueva Ecija is the stunning secret paradise in the east or famously dubbed as  "Batanes of the East" the Dingalan in Aurora ! 

After our trek from Mt. Sawi, we headed to our side trip and reached Dingalan port at 12:26nn. We had a few minutes boat ride to reach the White Beach. Enclosed by mountains, the serene untouched body of water has a four hundred meter-long stretch of fine sand that hides the wonderful rock and coral formation. Among the 18 participants, it was just me and my munting prinsipe who plunged ourselves to the cool waters of the beach and to think na kaming dalawa lang yung hindi marunong mag swim haha but yeah, go pa rin ! We wandered over the rocks so i had some cuts na naman sa feet ko. But it was fine coz I get to see the sun setting while I'm soaked in the clear blue and green water of the beach. 

We also visited the remarkable spot in White beach, the Dingalan Light house. We hiked up the mountain where the lighthouse stood. Usually its about 10 to 15minutes trekking but as for me na beginner, i think it took me 30 minutes to reach the top haha very impressive right ? It's path is assaulted and steep so you really need to be careful so you won't fall off the cliff (again, fear of heights strikes) 

At first I was disappointed and too tired to hike coz of the muddy trail. I was thinking that "it's just a lighthouse what's so good about it" (they even prohibited tourist to climb the lighthouse)  But as I ascend, despite the sunny weather, the first thing I noticed was the strong breeze coming from the Pacific ocean ! And when we finally reached the top, for a moment I was unable to breathe at all; the view seems to had knocked the wind out of me. I was utterly amazed. Like i could stare to the endless blue forever. But that's not all, it's like I was so blessed that day that God even made me a rainbow ! (yes I always wanted to believe that everything He created was for me) It truly was the most unforgettable weekend in my life !

chichatravels/ When in Mt. Sawi

The mountain for brokenhearted hikers: Mt. Sawi  !

Yes! Its a mountain for brokenhearted hikers (tamang tama sakin na sawi sa pag-ibig choss haha) Mt. Sawi is located in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija. There are two existing trail. One in Brgy. Malinao (where we started our trek) and the other one is in Dupinga Bridge. It was first explored by Nueva Ecija Backpackers and Community Mountaineers Inc. last May of 2016. It's a very hassle free for a beginner like me coz a friend invited me to a group of mountaineers called MDF Outdoor all of them are so accommodating and friendly so super smooth and chill lang (Well I was asleep the whole trip so yeah chill talaga haha) 

  

Anyway, we were trekking na when I heard the myth about the said mountain. According to the locals of Nueva Ecija, it was named Mt. Sawi because of  a girl who hanged herself to death at the summit because she got her heart broken by a guy who eventually left her and married other woman. So after that unfortunate event, it was called Mt. Sawi or Mt. Bigti. But I don't really buy that story kase wala namang pag bibigtihan dun sa area but some are likely to believe the brokenhearted-girl-story kase more dramatic daw haha. 

 

We started our trek at 6:15 in the morning. There have been some inconviences so we weren't able to catch the sunrise. We were walking the flats pa lang and I feel like my knees are giving up na (so its better to stretch stretch muna before trekking) From the bottom up to the summit was pure assault ! Konting flat grounds lang and lahat assaulted path na. Most part of the trail is grassland with sharp edges and some are as tall as a human. I'm not wearing the right attire and gears so my legs had some bruises, cuts, scratches and burns. Yes the sun kissed my skin talaga  haha it was so sunny and since i dont have enough gear like hat and other stuff, kaya sun burn talaga but luckilly mild sun burn lang naman.   

  

At 8:40am we already reached the summit. It was breathtakingly amazing ! Like every corner is worth capturing. Utterly fascinated at how exquisite everything was up there. (Kung pwede lang talaga wag na bumaba) You can also see the whole Gabaldon (which brings me to a very uncomfortable situation because of my fear of heights) But with a the help of my super supportive friend na keri ko naman haha i managed to stand at the top of the rock near the dead tree (the one where the girl hanged herself to death) Then at 9:34am we started to descend and reached the flat grounds at 10:25am. 

P.s. The descending part was the hardest for me. Thought my knees are finally giving up on me ! Without any help stranded na siguro ako at Mt. sawi feeling sawi haha. I'm still blessed and grateful to have someone who would help me no matter what (I'm really look like a scared baby cat up there ! ) 

   

#chichatravels 

    

chichatravels/Light and little sirene

 It was my first time to go on a night swimming with pools that are glowing ! Yes i know that its a typical trend now but i cant help it to be amazed by this experience. For starters, i am an introvert. Im like the "taong bahay" all the time. I rarely go out even if its the finest weather. So when i came home to my beautiful hometown Infanta, somewhere in the Northern Quezon, i decided to invite my relatives to go on a beach coz i really really wanted to swim ! Its like my whole self was craving for it. So we visited all the new resort there and ask them for their rate. Most of those resorts are so pricey so we ended up in renting a pool near my aunt's house. It was just a pool. I mean JUST A POOL haha but what can i do ? All i wanted was to swim. It was 4pm when we arrived and i immediately soaked myself in the water. I enjoyed it eventually that until 6pm i was still in the pool. That was the time when the pool suddenly lit up with colors ! The pool was glowing ! And as a narcissist, i immediately took a selfie haha. I took a selfie in every corner of the pool i even noticed that there are some coconut trees behind me and it was exquisite in silhouette. 

  It really was a good experience. I can prove that coz i was in the pool for 7 hours ! Haha so if you guys want to visit Infanta and want to just swim and chill, this is a great place for you. A&J is located at Barangay Pulo a few blocks after you enter the barangay. They are open for walk in guest until 11pm with the rate of 30php for adult and 10php for child. They also have a videoke and a small lounge in their reception area. 

Anyway this is my first and probably wouldnt be my last blog coz im going to feed you guys more so please follow my little happy adventure :) 

Here are some more pics for you guys ! (im a little sirène who loves water but literally cant swim😂)